Tag Archives: Irma

The latest (and final) advisory related to Hurricane Irma basically indicates that the biggest threats are from rainfall, and even then little flooding is expected in East Tennessee.

This will be the last update briefing from NWS Morristown concerning Tropical Storm Irma.

Winds will increase through the day. We have highlighted the winds with the Wind Advisory. Look for winds of 15-30 mph with gusts of 40-50 mph. Highest winds and gusts will occur in the higher elevations. Highest wind gusts will occur tonight. Trees and power lines will be most susceptible to the higher winds. Therefore, a few power outages could occur. Winds will begin to subside Tuesday afternoon.

Rainfall does not look to be a problem. Around 2″ of rainfall is expected along and south of a Dayton, TN to Clay County NC line. Less rainfall is expected north of that line (generally north of I-40).

All rivers in our forecast area will remain below action stage, including the highlighted rivers from past briefings (Nolichucky, Pigeon, and French Broad). The rainfall in NC is expected to be less than previously forecast.

East Tennessee may have dodged a bullet with Irma, but as always, with a rain / wind event, use caution.

Hurricane Irma made landfall Sunday over Key West, then again at Marco Island in the Florida Peninsula.

It is tracking to the north and is expected to impact East Tennessee Monday into Tuesday. By the time it reaches the area, it is expected to be downgraded to a tropical depression or lower. Tropical Storm Warnings are currently issued for parts of northern Georgia south of Dalton and northeastern Alabama.

Warnings for Alabama/Georgia (via NOAA)

With it’s rapidly changing path, the exact effect on Tennessee and the Smoky Mountains remain to be seen. However, the National Park Service has closed or restricted access to parts of the Smokies out of caution.

Rain looks to be a big issue for the area, while high winds are forecast for the higher elevations and the mountains.

As it makes its way north through Florida over the weekend, East Tennesseans will want to pay attention early next week as forecast models have the remnants of Irma over northern Georgia and/or Alabama and into Tennessee late Monday through Tuesday. In some models, the center of Irma could come into Tennessee, drift West, then turn towards the East, possibly bringing tropical storm-force winds, and dumping torrential rainfall in the area and causing flooding issues as it changes directions.

Florida is bracing as Hurricane Irma, the strongest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded, is feared to hit Florida on Sunday.

The hurricane “remains a dangerous and life-threatening Category 5” storm, Florida Gov. Rick Scott warned Wednesday night at a briefing. Forecast models have put the storm on a track to hit Florida over the weekend, but meteorologists have warned its path could change.

Forecast track of Hurricane Irma.

Scott said Florida is “at least 48 hours away from feeling the effects of this massive system.” The Florida Keys, he said, could feel the effects of the storm Friday night and early Saturday.

While the forecast track currently has Irma going up the Atlantic side of Florida’s coast, should the Hurricane go further west and then come up the Gulf of Mexico and into the Panhandle, it could affect East Tennessee as it comes north. Please stay tuned over the weekend as Irma comes ashore and tracks up the coastline one side or the other of Florida.

Hurricane Jose is as of now a Category 1 storm, trekking along the same path as Irma, but predicted to go further north than Irma currently is going.

Hurricane Jose

Hurricane Katia has formed in the Gulf of Mexico, and is forecast to make landfall in Mexico over the weekend, as it moves slowly southwest.

via WYFF TV: The [National] Hurricane Center says the storm is expected to bring torrential rains during the next few days primarily to the state of Veracruz, which spans along Mexico’s central Gulf coast.